Return valve

ABSTRACT

A check or return valve which includes a housing having an input opening defining a valve seat, a valve plate disposed over the opening for movement relative to the valve seat, a plurality of axial ribs formed on the inside periphery of the housing, each of the ribs having a transverse groove, an abutment plate engaging the axial ribs by means of a fastening ring and an axial collar and a spring compressibly disposed between the abutment plate and the valve plate. The abutment plate includes a central aperture and a radial slot running from the aperture to its outer edge; also the abutment plate has a yielding effect with respect to the valve plate during the operation of the return valve.

United States Patent [191 1111 3,854,496 Broszeit Dec. 17, 1974 RETURN VALVE 1,650,383 10/1970 Germany 137/535 [75] Inventor: Jurgen Broszelt, Bremen, Germany Primary Examiner william R- Cline [73] Assignee: Gustav F. Gerdts KG, Bremen, Assistant E i Geo ge L, Walt Germany Attorney, Agent, or Firm-Allison C. Collard [22] Filed: Oct. 1, 1973 21 A l N 402 416 [57] ABSTRACT 1 pp A check or return valve which includes a housing having an input opening defining a valve seat, a valve [30] Foreign Application Priority Data plate disposed over the opening for movement relative Nov. 30, 1972 Germany 2258642l t0 the valve seat, plurality Of axial ribs formed on the inside periphery of the housing, each of the ribs hav- [52] US. Cl 137/540, l37/543.l7, 137/543.l9, g a transverse groove, an abutment Plate engaging 137/535 the axial ribs by means of a fastening ring and an axial 51 1111. C1. Fl6k 15/02 Collar and a Spring Compressibly disposed between the 5 Field of Search 137 535 5405431154319; abutment plate and the valve plate. The abutment 251/337; 267/]70, 174, 178, 179 plate includes a central aperture and a radial slot running from the aperture to its outer edge; also the abut- 5 References Ci d ment plate has a yielding effect with respect to the ll9,9ll

valve plate during the operation of the return valve.

5 Claims, 2 Drawing Figures RETURN VALVE This invention relates to a return valve which operates with improved efficiency and with a minimum amount of wear.

In a known return valve, (German Petty Pat. No. 1,669,183) it has been found that the abutment plate could not be securely mounted between the guide ribs in the valve housing. In order to save costs, the abutment plates are punched out from sheet metal. Therefore, the outer diameter is not always dimensionally accurate, so as to fit snugly between the guide ribs. Furthermore, it was noted that during the operation of the valve, there is a twisting engagement of the valve plate onto the abutment plate so that the abutment plate is under radial stress, leading to breakage of the relatively thin plate in the vicinity of the guide ribs. Furthermore, the material often used for the fastening ring is not a spring steel and is therefore subject to easy wear and chemical action, so that it is not possible to obtain a secure seating of the fastening ring.

In the present invention, a return valve of the aforementioned type is provided whereby the fastening ring as well as the abutment plate are securely mounted and protected against wear during the operation of the device. In accordance with the invention, the fastening ring is forcibly spread at the axial collar by the abutment plate, independent of its own stress, and is therefore securely held within the grooves. The abutment plate is also securely held in place. Since the abutment plate engages the collar throughout its circumference, the surface stresses at the circumference are specifically less. Thus, these stresses do not cause any deformation of the abutment plate to affect its wear. The specific surface stress between the fastening ring and guide ribs may be held down by adjusting the height of the fastening ring.

In the device, a very secure seating can be assured so that diametric tolerances can be easily compensated. It is also a feature of the invention to dampen the stroke by the valve plate onto the abutment plate in order to reduce the wear. Moreover, the plate spring which acts as the abutment plate provides a better radial force for the fastening ring.

It is therefore an object according to the present invention to provide a return valve whereby the fastening ring and the abutment plate are securely mounted within the housing of the valve and protected against wear.

It is a further object according to the present invention to provide a return valve which is simple in design, efficient and reliable in operation.

Other objects and features of the present invention will become apparent from the following detailed discussion considered in connection with the accompanying drawing which discloses the embodiments of the invention. It is to be understood however that the drawing is designed for the purpose of illustration only and not as a definition of the limits of the invention.

In the drawing wherein similar reference characters denote similar elements throughout the several views:

FIG. 1 is a cross sectional view of the inventive return valve taken on the line 1-1 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the return valve.

Referring to FIGS. 1 and 2, there is shown a seat 2 for a valve plate 3 which moves axially in a housing 1.

Housing 1 is also provided with four axial guide ribs 4 for valve plate 3. Valve plate 3 is loaded by a spring 5 in the direction of seat 2. The free end of the spring is supported by an abutment plate 6 which is located between guide ribs 4.

A radially slotted or open fastening ring 8 engages grooves 7 of guide ribs 4 and stabilizes abutment plate 6 in housing 1. For this purpose, ring 8 is provided with a circumferential outer collar 9, whereby the inner wall of that collar engages the circumferential edge of the abutment plate 6. The inner diameter of collar 9 corresponds to the clearance of guide ribs 4, which is advantageous with respect to stress. Furthermore, abutment plate 6 is a radially yielding apertured disk having a radial slot 10 which runs from the aperture to the outer edge of the disk. Abutment plate 6 is larger in its relaxed outer diameter than the inner diameter of collar 9 of fastening ring 8.

Therefore the fastening ring is not only held in position by its own spring force in grooves 7, but also by the abutment plate 6 which presses against radial collar 9 of the fastening ring. Therefore, fastening ring 8 and abutment plate 6 are securely mounted in valve housing 1.

Furthermore, the abutment plate is provided with a cup'like indentation 11 which receives spring 5 and which is preferably deeper than the length of the spring 5 in its compressed condition. It may also be the same length as the compressed spring. Therefore, valve plate 3 engages abutment plate 6 in its uppermost stroke position. In order to dampen the stroke of valve plate 3 onto abutment plate 6, the abutment plate is convex in the direction of the valve plate. It is particularly advantageous that abutment plate 6 engages collar 9 of fastening ring 8 along its full circumference. Thereby, the radial specific surface stress is kept to a minimum and plastic deformations are avoided when abutment plate 6 is mounted. The arrow in FIG. 1 shows the direction of force of a fluid applied to the inlet of the valve.

While only a single embodiment of the present invention has been shown and described it is obvious that many changes and modifications may be made thereunto without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

What is claimed is:

l. A valve comprising a housing having a valve seat surrounding an inlet opening;

a valve plate disposed over said opening for coaction with said valve seat;

a plurality of axial ribs on the interior of said housing with each of said ribs having a transverse groove thereacross;

a radially slotted fastening ring yieldably engaging the groove of each of said ribs;

spring means having one end bearing on said valve plate;

a circular abutment plate supporting the opposite end of said spring means and serving as a stop for limiting the movement of said valve plate; and

said abutment plate having a central aperture therethrough and an open slot extending from said aperture to the rim of said abutment plate with substantially the entire circumference of said rim in pressing engagement with the internal cylindrical surface of said ring for firmly mounting said abutment corresponds with the clearance diameter of said ribs.

4. The return valve as recited in claim 1 wherein said abutment plate has a convex configuration on the side facing said valve plate.

5. The return valve as recited in claim 1 wherein said abutment plate includes a cup-like centrally located indentation for receiving the opposite end of said spring means. 

1. A valve comprising a housing having a valve seat surrounding an inlet opening; a valve plate disposed over said opening for coaction with said valve seat; a plurality of axial ribs on the interior of said housing with each of said ribs having a transverse groove thereacross; a radially slotted fastening ring yieldably engaging the groove of each of said ribs; spring means having one end bearing on said valve plate; a circular abutment plate supporting the opposite end of said spring means and serving as a stop for limiting the movement of said valve plate; and said abutment plate having a central aperture therethrough and an open slot extending from said aperture to the rim of said abutment plate with substantially the entire circumference of said rim in pressing engagement with the internal cylindrical surface of said ring for firmly mounting said abutment plate in said ring and firmly mounting said ring in said grooves.
 2. The return valve as recited in claim 1 wherein said ring is provided with an internal shoulder in contact with the circumferential border of said abutment plate and securing said abutment plate against substantial axial displacement.
 3. The reTurn valve as recited in claim 2 wherein said axial ribs serve as guides for said valve plate and the diameter of said internal cylindrical surface of said ring corresponds with the clearance diameter of said ribs.
 4. The return valve as recited in claim 1 wherein said abutment plate has a convex configuration on the side facing said valve plate.
 5. The return valve as recited in claim 1 wherein said abutment plate includes a cup-like centrally located indentation for receiving the opposite end of said spring means. 